Suspension Inspection - Six Years/25,000+ Miles

[Jlawles2]

To groove the pin or not may really be a non-solution to a non-problem. There is very little rotation to distribute grease and the load will squeeze what grease there is out of the contact area. Simply filling the pin to sleeve clearance should be effective enough. The only effect would be frequency or regreasing.

Ted, The idea would be more for ensuring the wet bolt takes grease. If for some reason the grease hole ends up against the bushing and grease cannot be pushed in, the groove would help ensure that the grease does indeed make it into the system vs the owner not greasing due to time or difficulty in releasing load from the axle.

[Scott'n'Wendy]

To groove the pin or not may really be a non-solution to a non-problem. There is very little rotation to distribute grease and the load will squeeze what grease there is out of the contact area. Simply filling the pin to sleeve clearance should be effective enough. The only effect would be frequency or regreasing.

Could be. If Dexter doesn't supply grooved bushings anymore, maybe they and MorRyde think the same thing?

[TedS]

To groove the pin or not may really be a non-solution to a non-problem. There is very little rotation to distribute grease and the load will squeeze what grease there is out of the contact area. Simply filling the pin to sleeve clearance should be effective enough. The only effect would be frequency or regreasing.

[Scott'n'Wendy]

The grooved bushings I ran, except for one, came from Dexter. They were part of the EZflex kit I installed in 2011. I damaged one and got a replacement from,
https://tractortrailerservice.com/service

The bushing from tractor trailer service had more grooves than the Dexter piece. Four if I remember right.

I don't know the spec of the bushing, but if you can get it to me, I can go see them and see if they still have the grooved bushing.
Or maybe I can just go ask, they will probably know what I'm talking about.

[Guest]

Scott,

Please send me a link where I can purchase a grooved spring bushing to fit our rigs. Agree many folks out there are running on no bushings where this will not cause a potential catastrophe like modifying the pin.

Here is a good example in what a spring bushing would be if the spring eye was round to properly support the bushing.

https://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Lea...ine/14-67.html

Jim

[Scott'n'Wendy]

Scott,

The second issue is the thin bushing and lack of a steel backing where to groove our current bushing, would result in a failure (fracture)

Jim

In my experience..It would not. I ran grooved bushings for 9 years on previous trailer. Still looked brand new at the 7 year point. And even if it did, a fractured bushing is no safety issue. Loads of trailers on the road are running on virtually non-existent nylon bushings.
However, there are no trailers on the road that have suffered a suspension bolt failure.

[Guest]

When I installed a Dexter EZ flex wet bolt kit on my previous trailer, the bushings had circumferential grooves. Circa 2011. Looking at the Dexter site it is difficult to tell if they are still that way. Local source replacement bushings are grooved. To me it seems the easiest way is maybe not to buy your bushings/kit from mor-ryde if dexter still has grooved bushings.
I would never cut a groove into the bolt. IMO, that's just asking for a potentially catastrophic suspension failure. (Just my opinion...remember I'm an electrician....)

Scott,

The issue here is a spring eye that is oblong (rarely round) so there is a lack of support for a proper bushing. The second issue is the thin bushing and lack of a steel backing where to groove our current bushing, would result in a failure (fracture) With a larger and properly sized spring eye, the bushing could be steel backed, thicker overall and dimpled..or grooved. Lippert and Dexter could get this spring issue solved if they had a desire to do so.

Jim

[Scott'n'Wendy]

A spiral groove around the bolt, crossing the grease supply hole, would be an ideal solution. This should not create any fracture paths that a circular ring or a cross drilled hole might. Machining this spiral would be difficult. Country Campers Brian . . . your thoughts on how this could be done?

Rob

When I installed a Dexter EZ flex wet bolt kit on my previous trailer, the bushings had circumferential grooves. Circa 2011. Looking at the Dexter site it is difficult to tell if they are still that way. Local source replacement bushings are grooved. To me it seems the easiest way is maybe not to buy your bushings/kit from mor-ryde if dexter still has grooved bushings.
I would never cut a groove into the bolt. IMO, that's just asking for a potentially catastrophic suspension failure. (Just my opinion...remember I'm an electrician....)

[Guest]

I would think as mentioned above that using a Dremel tool could create an adequate grease groove in the pin. A circular groove around the pin at the grease hole would be sufficient as well. These grooves would only be about .005" to .010" deep and in my opinion not cause any issues with the strength of the pin. I am sure that these pins are made with the cheapest material and in the cheapest manner possible. I have made large pins and bushings for all types of equipment with large grease grooves that have not caused any issues with breakage. When I have to rebuild my suspension I will have to try these methods. I think I like the countersink idea the best, easiest to do, and will provide more grease to the area. The reason there are not grooves or such on the stock pins is purely because of the cost to manufacture, more machining less profit margin.

Brian

Let us know how this works on your rig Brian. Provide us with plenty of pics.
Only after analysis would I try this. Remember, there is plenty of slop in these cheap springs where the impact loads should be considered. Surface imperfections provide the path for a fracture where the dremel should get the job done. Of all the wonderful mods on this forum, its hard to imagine folks would remotely consider this one.

Jim

[Country Campers]

A spiral groove around the bolt, crossing the grease supply hole, would be an ideal solution. This should not create any fracture paths that a circular ring or a cross drilled hole might. Machining this spiral would be difficult. Country Campers Brian . . . your thoughts on how this could be done?

Rob

I would think as mentioned above that using a Dremel tool could create an adequate grease groove in the pin. A circular groove around the pin at the grease hole would be sufficient as well. These grooves would only be about .005" to .010" deep and in my opinion not cause any issues with the strength of the pin. I am sure that these pins are made with the cheapest material and in the cheapest manner possible. I have made large pins and bushings for all types of equipment with large grease grooves that have not caused any issues with breakage. When I have to rebuild my suspension I will have to try these methods. I think I like the countersink idea the best, easiest to do, and will provide more grease to the area. The reason there are not grooves or such on the stock pins is purely because of the cost to manufacture, more machining less profit margin.

Brian

[Guest]

I would be very cautious in modifying these suspension pins where most components on these rigs are barely adequate. It would be better to try and purchase a custom spring with a thicker more robust bushing IMO. I serviced countless suspension and king pins in my former life as a diesel tech where these pins are in shear where the bushings were designed to retain grease...not the pin. To groove the pin along with the internal grease passage in the pin for these rigs would not be a good idea where you will be creating a stress concentration.

Jim

[TedS]

A spiral groove around the bolt, crossing the grease supply hole, would be an ideal solution. This should not create any fracture paths that a circular ring or a cross drilled hole might. Machining this spiral would be difficult. Country Campers Brian . . . your thoughts on how this could be done?

Rob

You could use a Dremel tool with a rotary burr to create a spiral groove.

[TedS]

The bolt is primarily a bearing component. There are low tension and bending loads. A shallow radiused circular groove around the bolt should not be a problem. Through drilling should also not be a problem. You could create a large counter sink at the hole to make a grease reservoir.
Look at excavator pivot pins, there are a variety of grease distribution methods.

[Cate&Rob]

A spiral groove around the bolt, crossing the grease supply hole, would be an ideal solution. This should not create any fracture paths that a circular ring or a cross drilled hole might. Machining this spiral would be difficult. Country Campers Brian . . . your thoughts on how this could be done?

Rob

[Jlawles2]

It would not take a deep groove, almost like a decent scratch, and yes it's probably in the worst spot. Ideal would be a spiral in the bronze bushing or on the pin.

Again, anything to help promote getting grease around the bolt vs it running dry b/c no one wants to figure out how to unload the bolt to force grease in it.